Francis Orr Templeton was born in Glasgow, Scotland on 16 June 1904 and was articled to Sir John James Burnet (1857-1938) in Glasgow, during which time he studied at the School of Architecture in Glasgow from where he graduated in 1927 and that year was elected an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects (ARIBA). After working as Burnet's assistant from 1927 to 1929, Templeton emigrated to Canada and settled in Montreal, Quebec. He worked in the office of John Smith Archibald (1872-1934) at 113 Beaver Hall Hill, Montreal from 1929 to 1932. He then moved to Ottawa, Ontario where he was employed in the office of Henry Gordon Hughes (1902-1990) at 46 Elgin Street, Ontario from 1934 to 1939. In 1939 he joined Hughes in partnership.
After serving with the Royal Canadian Engineers during World War Two, Templeton returned to Montreal to work in the office of Archibald & Illsley, subsequently becoming a partner in the firm which was renamed Archibald, Illsley & Templeton. The partnership was dissolved in 1950. Templeton died in Montreal on 17 February 1972